document_title: Exodus: Gods and Kings

question_text: who played god in exodus gods and kings

question_tokens: who played god in exodus gods and kings

text: Exodus: Gods and Kings

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 1300 BC, Moses, a general and accepted member of the Egyptian royal family, prepares to attack the Hittite army with Prince Ramesses, likely the Battle of Kadesh. A High Priestess of Sekhmet (the war goddess) divines a prophecy from animal intestines, which she relates to Ramesses' father, Seti I. She tells the two men of the prophecy, in which one (of Moses and Ramesses) will save the other and become a leader. During the attack on the Hittites, Moses saves Ramesses' life, leaving both men troubled. Later, Moses is sent to the city of Pithom to meet with the Viceroy Hegep, who oversees the Hebrew slaves. Upon his arrival, he encounters the slave Joshua, who is a descendant of Joseph, and Moses is appalled by the horrific conditions of the slaves. Shortly afterwards, Moses meets Nun, who informs him of his true lineage; he is the child of Hebrew parents who was sent by his sister Miriam to be raised by Pharaoh's daughter. Moses is stunned at the revelation and leaves angrily. However, two Hebrews also overhear Nun's story and report their discovery to Hegep.

text: Seti dies soon after Moses' return to Memphis, and Ramesses becomes the new Pharaoh (Ramesses II). Hegep arrives to reveal Moses' true identity, but Ramesses is conflicted about whether to believe the story. At the urging of Queen Tuya, he interrogates the servant Miriam, who denies being Moses' sister. When Ramesses threatens to cut off Miriam's arm, Moses comes to her defense, revealing he is indeed a Hebrew. Although Tuya wants Moses to be put to death, Ramesses decides to send him into exile. Before leaving Egypt, Moses meets with his adopted mother and Miriam, who refer to him by his birth name of Moishe. Following a journey into the desert, Moses comes to Midian where he meets Zipporah and her father, Jethro. Moses becomes a shepherd, marries Zipporah and has a son Gershom.

text: Nine years later, Moses gets injured during a rockslide. He comes face to face with a burning bush and a boy called Malak, who serves as a representative of the God of Abraham. While recovering, Moses confesses his past to Zipporah and reveals what God has asked him to do. This drives a wedge between the couple, because Zipporah fears he will leave their family. After he arrives in Egypt, Moses reunites with Nun and Joshua, as well as meeting his brother Aaron for the first time. Moses returns to confront Ramesses, demanding the Hebrews be released from servitude. Ramesses refuses to listen, insisting that to free the slaves would be economically impossible. Upon Moses threatening Ramesses' life, Ramesses orders the death of Moses, executing random Hebrew families until he is found. Using his military skills, Moses trains the slaves in the art of war. The Hebrews start attacking the Egyptians, prompting Ramesses to raid slave villages. Malak appears to Moses and explains that ten plagues will affect Egypt. All the water in the land turns to blood, and the Egyptians are further afflicted by the arrival of frogs (lice omitted in this telling) and flies. The plagues of the death of livestock, boils, hail and thunder, locusts, and darkness then affect the country. While conversing with Malak, Moses is horrified at learning the tenth plague will be the death of all firstborn children. The Hebrews protect themselves by covering their doors with the blood of lambs, as instructed by Moses. Ramesses is devastated over his son's death and relents, telling Moses and the Hebrews to leave.

text: During the exodus from Egypt, the Hebrews follow Moses' original path through the desert and towards the Red Sea. Still grieving for his son, Ramesses decides to go after the Hebrews with his army. After making their way through a dangerous mountain pass, Moses and the Hebrews arrive at the edge of the sea, uncertain about what to do. Out of despair, Moses flings his sword into the sea, which begins to recede. Ramesses and his army pursue the Hebrews, but Moses stays behind to confront them. The Red Sea reverts to its normal state, drowning the majority of the Egyptians (crossing the Red Sea). Moses survives and makes his way back to the Hebrews. Ramesses is revealed to have survived, but he is distraught over the destruction of his army. Moses leads the Hebrews back to Midian, where he reunites with Zipporah and Gershom. At Mount Sinai, after seeing Malak's displeasure at the Hebrews' construction of the Golden Calf, Moses transcribes the Ten Commandments. Years later, an elderly Moses riding with the Ark of the Covenant sees Malak walking with the Hebrews through the desert.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Christian Bale as Moses – The adoptive son of Bithiah, the son of Amram and Jochebed, brother of Aaron and Miriam, the husband of Zipporah and father of Gershom, and the descendant of Levi (son of Jacob and Leah)
Joel Edgerton as Ramesses II – The son of Seti I and Queen Tuya, and the husband of Nefertari
John Turturro as Seti I – The father of Ramesses II, the son of Ramesses I (Paramessu) and Queen Tuya's husband
Aaron Paul as Joshua – The son of Nun, and a descendant of Joseph (a son of Jacob and Rachel) and his son Ephraim
Ben Mendelsohn as Hegep[5]
María Valverde as Zipporah – The wife of Moses and the mother of Gershom, and a daughter of Jethro
Sigourney Weaver as Tuya – the mother of Ramesses II and Seti I's wife
Indira Varma as High Priestess[6]
Ben Kingsley as Nun – Joshua's father, and a descendant of Joseph (a son of Jacob and Rachel) and his son Ephraim
Hiam Abbass as Bithiah – The adoptive mother of Moses, Seti I's sister, Ramesses II's aunt, daughter of Ramesses I (Paramessu)
Kevork Malikyan as Jethro – Zipporah's father, and Moses' father-in-law and Gershom's grandfather
Anton Alexander as Dathan – The son of Eliab, and a descendant of Reuben (a son of Jacob and Leah)
Golshifteh Farahani as Nefertari – The wife of Ramesses II
Tara Fitzgerald as Miriam – The sister of Moses and Aaron, only daughter of Amram and Jochebed, and a descendant of Levi
Dar Salim as Khyan[7]
Ghassan Massoud as Paser, Ramesses II's Grand Vizier
Isaac Andrews as Malak – The mysterious little boy who serves as a manifestation of the God of Abraham.

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: In June 2012, Ridley Scott announced that he was developing an adaptation of the Book of Exodus, tentatively titled Moses.[8][9] On March 27, 2014, the studio changed the title of the film from Exodus to Exodus: Gods and Kings.[10]

text: Writing[edit]

text: Some controversy concerning biblical accuracy and content in the writing of the script arose over statements from Ridley Scott that he would be looking to natural causes for the miracles, including drainage from a tsunami for the parting of the Red Sea.[11] According to Scott, the parting of the Red Sea was inspired by a tsunami believed to have been triggered by an underwater earthquake off the Italian coast around 3000 BC.[12] This, combined with statements from Christian Bale about Moses, whom he portrayed ("I think the man was likely schizophrenic and was one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life"),[13] raised criticism. Those who voiced their concern included author Brian Godawa saying, "It's accurate to portray Moses as an imperfect hero, so Christians won't take issue with that, but to be so extreme as to call him one of the most barbaric people in history, that sounds like he's going out of his way to distance himself from the very people you’d think he wants to appeal to."[14] Another was the CEO of Faith-Driven Consumer, Chris Stone, saying about Bale's comments "There's nothing in the biblical history that supports that. It's an indication that there will be a tremendous disconnect between Bale’s interpretation and the expectations of the market"[14] and suggesting that Christians will not go to cinemas to see the film.[15]

text: Casting[edit]

text: On March 15, 2013, Deadline.com reported Scott wanted Christian Bale to star in the film;[16] in August he confirmed the role to be Moses himself.[17] On the same day, Joel Edgerton joined the cast to play Ramses and production was set to begin in September.[18] The studio announced the casting calls in Spain's Almería and Pechina for 3,000 to 4,000 extras and with another 1,000 to 2,000 extras on the island of Fuerteventura.[19] On August 27, Aaron Paul joined the film to play Joshua.[20] Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley and John Turturro were then still in talks about joining the cast.[21]

text: The Sydney Morning Herald and Christian Today reported that the casting of white actors in the lead roles was being criticised.[22][23] Four white actors were cast to play the lead roles (Hebrew and ancient Egyptian characters): Christian Bale as Moses, Joel Edgerton as Ramses II, Sigourney Weaver as Queen Tuya, and Aaron Paul as Joshua. The Sydney Morning Herald also reported the online community's observations that the Great Sphinx of Giza in the film has a European profile.[22] Christian Today reported that an online petition was under way. It also compared Exodus to the 1956 film The Ten Commandments with its all-white cast and said, "The racial climate, number of black actors, and opportunities provided to them were very different in 1956, however."[23] Some Twitter users called for a boycott of the film.[24][25]

text: More so, Forbes' Scott Mendelson said that the film didn't need to be "whitewashed" and stated that "Even if we accept the argument that Moses had to be played by a world-renowned movie star and that in all likelihood that meant a white actor, I do not accept the idea that the rest of the main cast needed to be filled out with Caucasian actors of varying recognizability."[26]

text: Scott responded that without the casting of big-name actors, the film would never have been made, by saying "I can't mount a film of this budget...and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such...I'm just not going to get financed",[27][28] and that those seeking to boycott the movie on such grounds should "get a life."[29]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Shooting of the film began in October 2013 in Almería, Spain.[30] Additional filming was scheduled at Pinewood Studios, England. Shooting began on October 22 in Tabernas, Almería (Spain) as the first and main location was Ouarzazate (Morocco), and in Sierra Alhamilla.[31][32] The Red Sea scene was filmed at a beach on Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa.[33] Shooting lasted 74 days.[12]

text: Post-production[edit]

text: VFX supervisor Peter Chiang supervised the film's visual effects.[33] He said that "Ridley wanted to convey the sense that everything could be natural phenomenon, like an eclipse or tsunami, not just someone waving a stick at the sea."[34]

text: It took more than 1,500 visual effects shots to digitally bolster the ranks of the Hebrews and to help authentically render plagues of hail, locusts and frogs,[12] although 400 actual real life frogs were used on the set.[33] Around 30 to 40 people accompanied Bale while crossing the Red Sea, the rest being computer generated, along with the 180-foot wave, the horses and the chariots; there were 400,000 humans depicted in all.[33] In close-ups of people fleeing across the sea bed, the filmmakers used the beach's real waters.[33] For the hailstorm scene, the film's special effects team built special cannons that would fire polymer balls that would bounce and shatter with the same characteristics as an ice ball. About 30 such cannons were used in the film. For the distant hail, computer simulation was used.[33]

text: In an interview for Access Hollywood, Scott claimed there was a "final" cut of the film that was 4 hours,[35] implying that the version released in theaters was reduced by 90 minutes.

text: Music[edit]

text: On July 8, 2014, it was announced that Alberto Iglesias would be scoring the music for the film with additional music by Harry Gregson-Williams.[36]

text: Release[edit]

text: The film was released on the first weekend of December 4 and 5 in 6,462 screens and in markets such as South Korea, Mexico, Hong Kong, India.[37] Nationwide release in North America was on December 12 in 3,503 theaters.[38] It was released in the United Kingdom on December 26. The film was released in conventional 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D.[39]

text: Unlike other biblical epics, Exodus was not censored by Egypt's Ministry of Culture. Exodus was instead banned in Egypt.[40] The Egyptian culture minister described it as "a Zionist film", and said it was banned because of "historical inaccuracies", such as creating a false impression that Moses and the Jews built the pyramids.[41][42][43] In Islam, Moses is considered to be a prophet of Allah, but the country's top religious institution, Al-Azhar, did not object to the contents of the movie, as it had with the 2014 film on Noah.[44]

text: In Morocco, the state-run Moroccan Cinema Centre (CCM) initially approved the film's screening, only for officials to ban it on the day before its premiere because of the personification of the voice of God. After some of the film's dialogue had been edited, the film was subsequently approved for screening.[45]

text: The film was also denied release in the United Arab Emirates. Authorities said they had found "many mistakes" in the story. The director of Media Content Tracking at the National Media Council explained: "This movie is under our review and we found that there are many mistakes not only about Islam but other religions too. So, we will not release it in the UAE".[46]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Exodus: Gods and Kings grossed $65 million in the U.S. and Canada and $203 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $268.2 million.[4] The film earned $8.7 million on its opening day (including previews) in the United States.[47][48] The film topped the box office during its opening weekend with $24.1 million.[49]

text: Outside North America, the film was released in 10 markets on December 4–5 and earned $23.1 million from 6,462 screens on its opening weekend.[37] The following week it earned $17.8 million from 27 international markets coming at second place at the box office behind The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.[50] The film went No. 1 in 13 markets.[51] In its third week, the film added $30.9 million from 39 markets and was still halted at #2 behind The Battle of the Five Armies.[52]

text: The highest openings came from Russia ($8 million),[53] Brazil ($6.68 million), South Korea ($6.2 million), Mexico ($5.4 million), France ($5.35 million), the UK ($4.25 million), Spain ($3.7 million) and Germany ($3.64 million).[52][54][55] At the end of its theatrical run, Russia proved to be the most successful country with $14.2 million followed by the U.K., Ireland and Malta with $11.4 million and Australia with $7 million.[56]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: Exodus: Gods and Kings received negative reviews from critics.[57] It received praise for its acting performances and technical achievements, but was criticized for its pacing, thin screenwriting and lack of character development.[58] The film veered creatively from the Old Testaments and New Testaments of the Bible and Scott's honesty about his own atheist beliefs didn't help appeal to a potential audience of believers.[59] The film has a "rotten" score of 28% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 194 reviews, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 10. The critical consensus states, "While sporadically stirring, and suitably epic in its ambitions, Exodus: Gods and Kings can't quite live up to its classic source material."[60] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 52 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[61]

text: Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter gave a positive review and said, "Scott did a great job reviving the Roman sand-and-sandals epic when he made the Oscar-winning Gladiator. This Egyptian saga is not quite in the same league, but it confirms the director's flair of widescreen imagery. Exodus has the added kick of 3D technology, and it has enough eye-popping set pieces to please adventure fans."[62] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone was positive of the film and said, "Exodus is a biblical epic that comes at you at maximum velocity but stays stirringly, inspiringly human."[63] Reagan Gavin Rasquinha of The Times of India gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and said, "Exodus: Gods and Kings is 'spectacle' with a capital 'S' and in more ways than one, definitely epic."[64] Catherine Shoard of The Guardian gave 3 out of 5 stars and said, "It’s impossible not to feel some awe at the spectacle, but more shocks would have helped see you through the two-and-a-half hour running time."[65] Phillips Hawker of The Sydney Morning Herald gave a mixed review and awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, saying, "Exodus: Gods And Kings... lacks Gladiator's full-on intensity and committed central performances, however; it's a mixture of the grand and the bland, and when it's not spectacular it's a little plodding."[66] Justin Chang of Variety said, "Some may well desire a purer, fuller version of the story, one more faithful to the text and less clearly shaped by the demands of the Hollywood blockbuster. But on its own grand, imperfect terms, "Exodus: Gods and Kings" is undeniably transporting, marked by a free-flowing visual splendor that plays to its creator’s unique strengths: Given how many faith-based movies are content to tell their audiences what to think or feel, it’s satisfying to see one whose images alone are enough to compel awestruck belief."[67] Jim Vejvoda of IGN said, "Director Ridley Scott gets lost in the desert at times in Exodus: Gods and Kings, his epic, but not entirely effective take on the story of Moses' journey from Prince of Egypt to Hebrew leader."[68]

text: On the negative side, Scott Mendelson of Forbes criticized the film for being too "dark" and "gritty," saying that the film lacked in humor or excitement, offering little nuance and little artistic interpretation beyond hitting the expected goal posts. He added, "Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings is a terrible film. It is a badly acted and badly written melodrama that takes what should be a passionate and emotionally wrenching story and drains it of all life and all dramatic interest."[69] Pete Hammond of Deadline.com in his review said, "Ridley Scott [can] do a plague well, and here, he gets to do 10 of them. But is this oh-so-familiar tale still fresh enough to get people into theaters in the droves needed to make back the very high production values that we see on screen?"[70] Alonso Duralde of The Wrap also gave a negative review and said, "If you're going into Exodus: Gods and Kings thinking that director Ridley Scott is going to give the Moses story anything we didn't already get from Cecil B. DeMille in two versions of The Ten Commandments, prepare to be disappointed."[71]


document_title: The Greatest Showman

question_text: who plays the queen in the greatest showman

root

text: The Greatest Showman

text: Plot[edit]

text: The movie begins with P. T. Barnum(Hugh Jackman) and his troupe performing a show at the circus ("The Greatest Show"). As the song continues, the background turns to black, with Barnum singing alone, leading to a flashback to Barnum's childhood where he and his father Philo, a tailor, work for the Hallett family, and he becomes infatuated with their daughter, Charity. Though Charity is being sent to finishing school, Barnum reassures her they will not be separated. The two keep in touch through letters until they meet again in adulthood ("A Million Dreams"), eventually marrying and raising two daughters, Caroline and Helen, in New York City ("A Million Dreams" reprise). They live a humble life; though Charity is happy, Barnum dreams of more.

tag: p

text: Barnum loses his job as a clerk at a shipping company after the company goes bankrupt. Taking a risky bet, he takes out a large loan from a bank, deceiving the bank into accepting his former employer's lost ships as collateral. He uses this loan to buy Barnum's American Museum in downtown Manhattan, an attraction showcasing various wax models. Initially, sales are slow; on the suggestion of his children to showcase something "alive", Barnum searches for "freaks" to serve as performers for his museum ("Come Alive"). This attracts a large audience despite protests and poor reviews, prompting Barnum to rename his venture "Barnum's Circus".

text: Searching for ways to further his reputation amongst the upper class, Barnum meets playwright Phillip Carlyle and convinces him to join his venture ("The Other Side"). Carlyle is enchanted with Anne Wheeler, an African-American trapeze artist, but he hides his feelings. During a trip Carlyle arranged for Barnum and his troupe to meet Queen Victoria, Barnum meets Jenny Lind, a famed Swedish singer, whom he convinces to perform in America, with him serving as her manager. Lind's first American performance is a rousing success ("Never Enough"). While Barnum gains favor with the aristocratic patrons, he begins to distance himself from his original troupe, refusing to socialize with them. Dejected, they decide to stand against their local harassers ("This Is Me").

text: Carlyle and Wheeler attend the theatre together one night, only to run into Carlyle's parents, who insult Wheeler's lowly status, causing her to leave. Carlyle chases her and tries to convince her that they can be together, but she rejects him despite her feelings towards him ("Rewrite the Stars"). As Barnum takes Lind on a US tour, Charity feels isolated from her husband as she stays home with their daughters ("Tightrope"). While on tour, Lind begins falling in love with Barnum, but when he refuses her advances, she calls off the tour and kisses him at the end of her last show, which is photographed by the press ("Never Enough" reprise). Barnum returns home to find his circus on fire, caused by a fight between the protesters and the troupe. Carlyle, who had tried to save Anne not knowing she had already escaped, is rescued amid the chaos by Barnum but suffers severe burns. Most of the sets and props are destroyed. Word of Lind's cancellation and Barnum's public intimacy also reaches New York, resulting in his mansion being foreclosed upon and Charity taking Caroline and Helen back to her parents' home.

text: Depressed, Barnum retreats to a local pub, where his troupe find him there and persuade him to rebuild the circus. Barnum has an epiphany that causes him to realize the circus was for his friends and family rather than for himself ("From Now On"). Meanwhile, the injured Carlyle wakes in a hospital with Wheeler by his side and they share a kiss.

text: Barnum leaves and finds his estranged wife, and they decide to mend their relationship. Faced with the financial difficulty of rebuilding the circus, the recovering Carlyle steps in, offering to use his earnings from his share of the circus's profits to rebuild it under the condition of becoming partners, which Barnum happily accepts. As rebuilding the circus in its original location would be too expensive, Barnum rebuilds it as an open-air tent circus by the docks. The new, revamped circus is a huge success, and Barnum gives full control of the show to Carlyle so he can focus on his family ("The Greatest Show" reprise).

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Hugh Jackman as P. T. Barnum, an ambitious showman and entrepreneur.

Ellis Rubin as Young P. T. Barnum

Ziv Zaifman provides Young P. T. Barnum's singing voice

Zac Efron as Phillip Carlyle, a playwright who becomes Barnum's partner. He is a composite character partly based on James Anthony Bailey.
Michelle Williams as Charity Hallett Barnum, the wife of P.T. Barnum.

Skylar Dunn as Young Charity

Rebecca Ferguson as Jenny Lind, a famous Swedish singer known as the "Swedish Nightingale".

Loren Allred provides Lind's singing voice.[8][9]

Zendaya as Anne Wheeler, an acrobat, trapeze artist, W.D.'s sister and Phillip Carlyle's love interest
Keala Settle as Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady. She is a composite character partly based on Josephine Clofullia and Annie Jones.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as W. D. Wheeler, an acrobat and Anne's brother.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Deng Yan, a Chinese blade-specialist.
Paul Sparks as James Gordon Bennett, the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald.
Sam Humphrey as Charles Stratton, a dwarf performer who is also known by his stage name, General Tom Thumb.
Austyn Johnson as Caroline Barnum, one of Barnum's daughters.
Cameron Seely as Helen Barnum, one of Barnum's daughters.
Eric Anderson as Mr. O'Malley, a former thief whom Barnum employs at his circus.
Daniel Everidge as The Lord of Leeds, The Huge Man.
Caoife Coleman and Mishay Petronelli as the Albino Twins
Shannon Holtzapffel as Prince Constantine, The Tattooed Man.
Luciano Acuna Jr. as Fedor Jeftichew, The Dog Boy.
Danial Son and Yusaku Komori as Chang and Eng Bunker, The "Siamese Twins".
Jonathan Redavid as Frank Lentini, The Three-Legged Man.
Nick Jantz as Jeff Harris, The Juggler
Gayle Rankin as Queen Victoria.
Will Swenson as Philo Barnum, a tailor and the father of P. T. Barnum.
Fredric Lehne as Benjamin Hallett, father of Charity and abusive father-in-law of Barnum.
Kathryn Meisle as Hannah Hallett, mother of Charity and mother-in-law of Barnum.

tag: ul

text: Production[edit]

text: The project was first announced in 2009, with Jackman already set for the title role.[10] In August 2011, Michael Gracey was chosen to direct.[11] In 2013, Fox hired lyricists Pasek and Paul to write the songs.[12]

text: On June 15, 2016, Zac Efron began negotiations to star in the film,[13] and in July 2016, Michelle Williams was cast.[14][15][16][17] The film was choreographed by Ashley Wallen.[18]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Rehearsals on the film began in October 2016 in New York City, and principal photography began on November 22, 2016.[19][20].

text: Post-production[edit]

text: In December 2017, it was reported that James Mangold, who had worked with Jackman on several projects (including 2017's Logan), had been brought in to serve as an executive producer during the film's post-production. In an interview, director Michael Gracey noted, "There were eight producers on this film, and it was amazing having one of them be a filmmaker."[21]

text: Music[edit]

text: Musical numbers[edit]

text: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote nine songs.[22]

text:
"The Greatest Show" – Hugh Jackman, Keala Settle, Zac Efron, Zendaya
"A Million Dreams" – Ziv Zaifman, Jackman, Michelle Williams
"A Million Dreams" (Reprise) – Austyn Johnson, Cameron Seely, Jackman
"Come Alive" – Jackman, Settle, Daniel Everidge, Zendaya
"The Other Side" – Jackman & Efron
"Never Enough" – Loren Allred
"This Is Me" – Settle
"Rewrite the Stars" – Efron & Zendaya
"Tightrope" – Williams
"Never Enough" (Reprise) – Allred
"From Now On" – Jackman

tag: ol

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text: The soundtrack album features eleven tracks performed by the cast. In the United Kingdom, it became only the second album in 30 years to achieve 11 consecutive weeks at number 1.[23] The Greatest Showman now draws level with Adele's 21 for the longest unbroken run at the UK summit in the last 30 years. The cast album is now at 465,000 combined units, according to the Official Charts Company, made up of 197,000 physical copies, 107,000 downloads and 35% streaming.[24]

text: Release[edit]

text: The Greatest Showman held its premiere on December 8, 2017, aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2, while it was docked in New York City. The film was then released in the United States on December 20, 2017.[25][26] Like Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast, a sing-along version of the film was released in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2018.[27] The film had a limited IMAX release on February 2.

text: Marketing[edit]

text: On June 28, 2017, 20th Century Fox released the first international trailer to promote the film. On November 13, 2017, the second trailer was released.[28]

text: On December 17, 2017, Fox televised a live performance of "Come Alive" from Warner Bros. Studios during its live musical special A Christmas Story Live! (which was based on fellow Pasek and Paul work A Christmas Story: The Musical). The number featured the film's stars and a cast of 150 dancers.[29][30]

text: Home media[edit]

text: In the United States, the film was released via digital download on March 20, 2018, and will be released on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K Ultra HD on April 10, 2018.[31] In the United Kingdom, the film will be released first on digital download on April 27, 2018, while Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and DVD copies go on sale on May 14. These versions will include the sing-along version, two hours of behind-the-scenes footage and music machine jukebox features.[32]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: As of April 8, 2018[update], The Greatest Showman has grossed $173 million in the United States and Canada, and $247.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $420.3 million, against a production budget of $84 million.[3] It is the fourth- and fifth-highest grossing musical ever in North America and globally, respectively, and Deadline Hollywood estimated the film should turn a profit between $50–100 million.[33]

text: In the United States and Canada, The Greatest Showman was released alongside Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and was projected to gross around $21 million from 3,006 theaters over its first six days.[34][35] It took in $2 million on its first day and $2 million on its second. Over the three day weekend, it grossed $9 million (for a six-day total of $19 million), finishing fourth at the box office, behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Pitch Perfect 3.[36] In its second weekend, the film grossed $15.5 million, again finishing 4th at the box office.[37] The weekend-to-weekend increase of 76.3% marked the largest ever for a film playing in over 3,000 theaters, and the fourth biggest ever.[38][39] In its third week, the film dropped 11% to $14 million.[40]

text: The film made $13 million in its fourth weekend and $11 million in its fifth, finishing 4th and 5th at the box office, respectively.[41] The film continued to hold well in its sixth week of release, grossing $9.5 million and returning to 4th place,[42] and again finished fourth in its seventh week, this time grossing $7.8 million (a drop of just 18%).[43] It is the 13th highest-grossing film to never top the American box office.[44]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 55% based on 204 reviews, and an average rating of 6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Greatest Showman tries hard to dazzle the audience with a Barnum-style sense of wonder – but at the expense of its complex subject's far more intriguing real-life story."[45] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[46] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while it earned a 70% "definite recommend" from comScore.[36]

text: Owen Gleiberman of Variety gave the film a positive review, writing, "The Greatest Showman is a concoction, the kind of film where all the pieces click into place, yet at an hour and 45 minutes it flies by, and the link it draws between P.T. Barnum and the spirit of today is more than hype."[47] Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3/4 stars, saying, "With all that corn and cheese and old-timey sentiment, The Greatest Showman ends up scoring some very timely social arguments. P.T. Barnum himself would have approved the dramatic sleight of hand."[48] Steve Persall of Tampa Bay Times gave the film an 'A', and said, "The Greatest Showman is the feel-good movie the holiday season needs,"[49] while William Bibbiani of IGN gave The Greatest Showman a score of 7.9/10, and called the film, "wildly entertaining."[50]

text: Britton Peele of The Dallas Morning News said, "The story is interesting and the beats are well-acted, but it's the musical numbers that make The Greatest Showman."[51] Jackie K Cooper of HuffPost gave the film a score of 10/10 and wrote, "You will be overwhelmed by the music and magic that explode on the screen. The film has a message that should resonate with today's world concerning acceptance and courage."[52] Hugh Armitage of Digital Spy said, "The Greatest Showman is a broad and solid crowd-pleaser. An undemanding spectacle for all the family."[53] Alan Jones of Radio Times called it "A joyously uplifting potpourii of visual resplendence, stylish choreography and solid gold magic, one engineered to approximate the lavish spectacle the movie musical once offered."[54]

text: Sheila O'Malley of RogerEbert.com gave it 3.5/4, stating "The Greatest Showman is an unabashed piece of pure entertainment punctuated by memorable songs."[55] Douglas Davidson of CLTure called the film, "An undeniable spectacle with a infectious soundtrack, a movie that dazzles and delights."[56] James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film a 3/4 score, and said, "The film has show-stopping well-choreographed numbers with catchy tunes,"[57] and Calvin Wilson of St. Louis Post-Dispatch called the film "highly enjoyable."[58]

text: Carl Kozlowski of Pasadena Weekly gave the film an 'A', calling it "Groundbreaking & grandly innovative."[59] Sean P. Means of The Salt Lake Tribune gave The Greatest Showman 3.5/4 stars, stating, "A strong cast give emotional power to this romanticized, tune-filled biography."[60] Manuela Lazic of Little White Lies gave it 4/5, saying, "The Greatest Showman deserves to become a Christmas classic. the film's severe romanticism and ridiculous but affecting enthusiasm make it irresistibly life-affirming."[61] Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and called it, "A fantasia of song and dance, a joyous exercise in pure entertainment that is made for the holiday crowd."[62]

text: Conversely, Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the film a negative review, criticizing the songs and characters and saying "There's idiotic, and there's magnificent, but The Greatest Showman is that special thing that happens sometimes. It's magnificently idiotic. It's an awful mess, but it's flashy. The temptation is to cover your face and watch it through your fingers, because it's so earnest and embarrassing and misguided – and yet it's well-made."[63] In a negative review for The Hollywood Reporter, David Rooney wrote "This ersatz portrait of American big-top tent impresario P.T. Barnum is all smoke and mirrors, no substance. It hammers pedestrian themes of family, friendship and inclusivity while neglecting the fundaments of character and story."[64]

text: Writing for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, saying, "How do you cast a virtuoso Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, spare no expense in production values, add a score by Oscar and Tony winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and still end up with the shrill blast of nothing that is The Greatest Showman? Ask first-time director Michael Gracey, who cut his teeth on commercials and music videos without ever mastering the crucial knack of building snippets of musical comedy and drama into a satisfying whole."[65] Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film's failures "are rooted in something deeper: a dispiriting lack of faith in the audience's intelligence, and a dawning awareness of its own aesthetic hypocrisy. You've rarely seen a more straight-laced musical about the joys of letting your freak flag fly."[66]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Award
Date of ceremony
Category
Recipient(s) and nominee(s)
Result
Ref(s)

AARP's Movies for Grownups Awards
February 5, 2018
Best Grownup Love Story
The Greatest Showman
Won
[67][68]

Academy Awards
March 4, 2018
Best Original Song
"This Is Me" – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Nominated
[69][70]

Casting Society of America
January 18, 2018
Big Budget – Comedy
Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Rori Bergman and Patrick Goodwin
Won
[71]

Costume Designers Guild
February 20, 2018
Excellence in Period Film
Ellen Mirojnick
Nominated
[72]

Critics' Choice Movie Awards
January 11, 2018
Best Song
"This Is Me" – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Nominated
[73]

Dorian Awards
February 24, 2018
Campy Flick of the Year
The Greatest Showman
Nominated
[74]
[75]

Empire Awards
March 18, 2018
Best Costume Design
The Greatest Showman
Nominated
[76]
[77]

Best Make-up And Hairstyling
The Greatest Showman
Nominated

Georgia Film Critics Association
January 12, 2018
Best Original Song
"This Is Me" – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Nominated
[78]

Golden Globe Awards
January 7, 2018
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Hugh Jackman
Nominated
[79]

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The Greatest Showman
Nominated

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
"This Is Me" – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Won

Golden Reel Awards
February 18, 2018
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Musical
Jen Monnar, Jim Harrison, Jeff Carson, Peter Myles and Sheri Ozeki
Won
[80]

Guild of Music Supervisors Awards
February 8, 2018
Best Music Supervision for Film: Budgeted Over 25 Million Dollars
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Nominated
[81]

Best Song/Recording Created for a Film
"This Is Me" – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Nominated

Heartland Film Festival
December 31, 2017
Truly Moving Picture Award
Michael Gracey
Won
[82]

Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild
February 24, 2018
Feature Motion Picture: Best Period and/or Character Makeup
Nicki Ledermann, Tania Ribalow and Sunday Englis
Nominated
[83]

Saturn Awards
June 2018
Best Action or Adventure Film
The Greatest Showman
Pending
[84]

Best Costume Design
Ellen Mirojnick
Pending

Best Music
John Debney and Joseph Trapanese
Pending

tag: table


document_title: The Last Song (film)

question_text: where was the movie the last song filmed

text: The Last Song (film)

text: Plot[edit]

text: At seventeen, Veronica "Ronnie" Miller (Miley Cyrus) remains as rebellious as she was the day her parents divorced and her father moved to Georgia three years prior. Once a classical piano child prodigy under the tutelage of her father, Steve Miller (Greg Kinnear), Ronnie now ignores the instrument and has not spoken with her father since he left. While Juilliard School has been interested in her since she was young, Ronnie refuses to attend.

text: Steve now has the chance to reconnect with his estranged daughter when her mother, Kim Miller (Kelly Preston) sends the rebellious teen and her younger brother, Jonah (Bobby Coleman), to spend the summer with him. Steve, a former Juilliard School professor and concert pianist, lives a quiet life in Wrightsville Beach, the small beach town in Georgia where he grew up, working on a stained glass window for the local church to replace the one the church lost in a fire. According to the locals, it was Steve who had (accidentally) set fire to the church one night.

text: After arrival, Ronnie becomes miserable, defiant, and defensive toward all those around her, including handsome, popular Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth) whose introduction involved crashing into her during a volleyball match, and accidentally spilling Ronnie's strawberry shake on her. She shrugs him off and meets Blaze, an outcast who lives with her boyfriend Marcus. While at a beach campfire, Marcus hits on Ronnie and Blaze mistakes this for Ronnie flirting with him. Angered by this, Blaze later frames Ronnie for shoplifting, causing her arrest. Later on, Ronnie discovers a Loggerhead Sea Turtle nest at the beach by her house and while protecting it, she meets Will again on his volunteer work for the aquarium. After a night of staying up to defend the turtle eggs from predators with Will, she discovers he is deeper than she expected, and begins to develop feelings for him.

text: The next day, Will takes Ronnie to where he works to show her the aquarium. After they leave to the beach, Ashley shows up and tells Ronnie about Will's past relationships and how taking them to see the aquarium was routine of his, making Ronnie doubtful of her feelings toward him. Will finds her at the turtle's nest and they have an argument about his past relationships. When Ronnie suggests she does not want to be another girl on the list and that they should end their relationship for good, Will embraces her and they kiss passionately, proving his feelings for her as akin to his quoting she's "not like the other girls." Marcus breaks up with Blaze because he wants Ronnie, which leads him and Will to fight at Megan's wedding party.

text: Ronnie soon hears the rumor that her father burned down the church from some locals. Distraught, she goes to Will and laments about the situation. Will, knowing that it was actually his friend Scott who while playing around set fire to the church, is overcome by guilt and goes to Steve to apologize. When Ronnie comes in hearing this, she walks out and Will follows where they have an argument and break up. Will leaves. Fall arrives and Jonah returns to New York for the school year. Ronnie stays behind to take care of their father, who revealed to Ronnie & Jonah during the summer that he is terminally ill. Leading a slow life, she tries to make up for the time with her father that she's lost. She continues work on a composition he had been writing (titled "For Ronnie"), after losing the steadiness of his hands due to his illness. He dies just as she finishes it.

text: At his funeral she stands to make a speech but declares that no words could ever be able to show how wonderful her father really was. Instead, she decides to share with them the song she helped finish. Before she sits down to play, sunlight shines through the stained glass window. Ronnie smiles and says "Hi, Daddy," remembering what she overheard her father tell Jonah earlier in the movie; that whenever light shines through the window, it's him.

text: Blaze and other townsfolk offer Ronnie sympathy and kind words after the funeral outside. Later on, while talking to the attendants, she runs into Will. He says that he liked the song she played and that he knows her dad did too and Ronnie thanks him for coming. Having decided to attend Juilliard, Ronnie is packing up to return to New York when she sees Will standing outside. She goes outside to see him and Will apologizes to her for everything that had happened and Ronnie forgives him. Will surprises Ronnie by revealing that he will be transferring to Columbia in order to be with her and they passionately kiss.

text: The end credits show Ronnie driving away in her car and smiling to herself.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Miley Cyrus as Veronica "Ronnie" L. Miller, an angry, rebellious 17-year-old forced to spend a summer with her estranged father. She later falls in love with Will.[2]
Liam Hemsworth as Will Blakelee,[3] a popular and skilled beach volleyball player, Will aspires to attend a top university and volunteers at the Georgia Aquarium. He is Ronnie's love interest.[4]
Greg Kinnear as Steve Miller,[5] Ronnie and Jonah's father and former Juilliard School professor and concert pianist who moved to Georgia after his divorce. During the summer, Steve reconnects with Ronnie through their mutual love of music. With Jonah's help, Steve also works to reconstruct the centerpiece of the local church, a stained glass window, after the original was destroyed in a fire. He later dies of cancer.[6][4]
Kelly Preston as Kim Miller, Ronnie and Jonah's mother who raised her children in New York City after her divorce.[5][4]
Bobby Coleman as Jonah Miller,[7][8] Ronnie's younger brother sent along with his elder sister to Tybee Island.[9]
Nick Lashaway as Marcus, Blaze's abusive boyfriend and the leader of a gang of thugs who hustle money from beach carnival crowds through spectacular fire juggling performances.[7]
Carly Chaikin as Blaze, a rebel[10] who befriends Ronnie when she is sent to Georgia. Blaze betrays Ronnie when she frames Ronnie for shoplifting a watch, but they eventually became friends again.[11]
Adam Barnett as Teddy, a young thug adept at hacky sack and juggling, skills he uses as part of Marcus' crew to hustle money.[12]
Nick Searcy as Tom Blakelee,[13] Will's father.
Melissa Ordway as Ashley, Will's snobby ex-girlfriend.[8]
Carrie Malabre as Cassie, Ashley's best friend who aids Ashley in antagonizing Ronnie.[14]
Rhoda Griffis as a Doctor[8]
Lance E. Nichols as Pastor Charlie Harris,[8][9] the kind, devout Pastor of the local church. He was Steve's first piano teacher, parental figure, and best friend while Steve was growing up.[9]
Hallock Beals as Scott, Will's best friend who ends up creating trouble between Will and Ronnie.[15][16]
Stephanie Leigh Schlund as Megan Blakelee,[8] Will's elder sister who is engaged to be married.[9]

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: The Last Song began when Disney executive Jason Reed met with Miley Cyrus to discuss her future career plans.[17] At the time, Cyrus had been known mainly for starring as a pop star on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana, a children's television series that had expanded into a globally successful media franchise.[18] As the series neared its end, Disney hoped to create a star vehicle to help Cyrus break out of the pop persona she had developed through the franchise and to introduce Cyrus to older audiences.[17][19] During her meeting with Reed, Cyrus expressed a desire to film a movie similar to A Walk to Remember, a 2002 film based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks.[17][20] A Walk to Remember helped Mandy Moore, then a teen pop star much like Cyrus, launch an acting career.[17] Disney called Adam Shankman, director of A Walk to Remember,[20] who signed on to produce the potential Cyrus film along with his sister and Offspring Entertainment production company partner, Jennifer Gibgot. Tish Cyrus, Cyrus' mother and co-manager, became the film's executive producer.[21] Cyrus' acting representation, United Talent Agency, then contacted Sparks, also a UTA client, to ask if he had plans for a novel appropriate for a film adaptation starring Cyrus.[22][23]

text: At the time, Sparks had been wrapping up The Lucky One and beginning to ponder an original plot for his next book. The author told himself he could "either go younger than 20 or older than 50", having recently written about every age in between. Wary of venturing above 50 again after his best-seller The Notebook, Sparks had already been leaning toward writing a teenage story when he received a phone call from Gibgot on behalf of the film in August 2008.[5][22] Sparks recalled, "Jennifer asked if I had anything laying around? I said no, but funny you should say that…" Sparks returned with a premise by the end of July 2008.[5] Once the proposal had been agreed upon by Cyrus, her family, and Offspring Entertainment, Sparks, with the aid of co-screenplay writer Jeff Van Wie, completed the screenplay before starting the book.[17][24] Sparks explained that such an arrangement was necessary in order to accommodate filming in summer 2009, as Disney had scheduled,[22] but that "this is similar to the way it’s gone with movies based on my novels; it’s just out of order."[17] Sparks and Van Wie completed the first draft of the screenplay in December 2008, the first rewrite later that month, and the second and final rewrite in January 2009.[22][25] Both rewrites took approximately one or two days, and Sparks found them relatively simple.[25] The finished screenplay was approximately 100 pages long.[26] While The Last Song is not the first screenplay Sparks has written, it is his first to be optioned for film.[26] The novel was completed in June 2009, the same time shooting for the film began,[22] and was published on September 8, 2009 by Grand Central Publishing.[27][28] The plot of the film and novel remained secret throughout development.[17]

text: Julie Anne Robinson signed on to direct the film in May 2009, attracted by the emotion present in the story.[29] The Last Song is Robinson's first feature film, although she is a veteran of television and theater. Robinson previously helmed episodes of American series such as Weeds and Grey's Anatomy and earned a Golden Globe nomination and a BAFTA award for her work on the BBC series Viva Blackpool.[21]

text: In a June 2009 blog entry, Cyrus said she had "always been a fan of Nicholas Sparks" and that she had been waiting to do a production separate from the Hannah Montana franchise "for a long time", but had not found the time to do so due to her TV show, music, tours, and Hannah Montana: The Movie.[30] In order to film The Last Song, Cyrus' contract for season four of Hannah Montana included an extra long hiatus.[31]

text: Writing and title[edit]

text: Recognizing the popularity of A Walk to Remember as both a novel and film, Sparks "put all [his] thoughts into that, trying to make the story as different from A Walk to Remember as [he could], but try to capture the same feelings."[5] Sparks' experiences as a father and as a high school track and field coach also helped shape the plot, and characters Jonah Miller and Will Blakelee are respectively based on Sparks' sons Landon and Miles. Sparks felt Ronnie was the hardest character to write for because he had "never been a 17-year-old, angry teenage girl".[32] Ronnie became a composite character inspired by several young women Sparks has known, such as his nieces.[33] Cyrus herself influenced Ronnie fairly little, although her singing career did inspire the musical elements of the story.[32] Ronnie plays only the piano and Cyrus only sings a small amount in the film,[17] though she does contribute to its soundtrack.[34]

text: Disney did not give Sparks limitations on the topics featured in The Last Song, which include underage drinking, infidelity, and terminal illness[5][9][32] but Sparks says that Disney desired to work with him in part because "they’ve read my novels. My teenagers… don't do bad things. I just don’t write that. I don’t write about adultery, I don’t write profanity ... I’ll certainly have love scenes in my novels, but they’re always between consenting adults.”[5] Still, Sparks acknowledges that elements of the screenplay may have been toned down by the director or the studio after he finished. As dictated by the Writers Guild of America, Sparks receives full credit for his work although the amount of his original screenplay retained in the film is uncertain. For example, Sparks says the character of Marcus, leader of the gang of thugs, was likely altered for the film.[5]

text: The project remained nameless for several months after Sparks' initial meeting with Disney in July 2008.[5] Sparks wrote in a September 2008 online chat that "I have the idea completed, but no title. That's common for me though. Titles come last."[35] The film was referred to by the working title "Untitled Miley Cyrus Project"[36] In March 2009, Variety magazine called "The Last Song" a "tentative" title.[37]

text: Casting[edit]

text: Cyrus chose the name "Ronnie" for her character in honor of her grandfather, Ron Cyrus, who died in 2006.[32] Unknown to many the character had first been named "Kirby" by Sparks and later changed to "Hilary". New interviews with Sparks reveal he imagined Cyrus in the role "only a little" during the writing process. The completion of the screenplay, concerned Sparks that Cyrus would not be able to successfully execute the role: "The first thing I thought when I finished the screenplay was, wow, I hope she can do this, this is a tough role because I'm bringing you through a whole gamut of emotion and you're just a 16-year-old girl who's done the Disney Channel. Are you able to do this as an actress?",[26] After visiting the set and watching Cyrus film, Sparks' worries abated.[26] To play the New York teen, Cyrus worked with a dialect coach to lose her Southern accent[38] and learned to play classical piano.[39] After she completed filming, Cyrus said that in a case of life imitating art,[40] she had matured and "changed a lot" over the course of her summer in Georgia, similar to the way Ronnie does in the film. "Showing this movie, I feel like I'm really showing a part of my growth as a person as well. So I'm really excited for people to see it."[41]

text: In April 2009, Disney officials chose Rafi Gavron for the part of Will Blakelee, but switched to Australian actor Liam Hemsworth by May.[42] On May 18, 2009, the decision to cast Greg Kinnear as Steve Miller was made final.[42] Kelly Preston's part as Kim is the first role she has accepted since the death of her son, Jett Travolta.[43] After being introduced to Cal Johnson, the film's stunt coordinator, Adam Barnett landed the role of Teddy in May 2009 due to his pre-developed talent in juggling and hackey sack.[44]

text: Post-production[edit]

text: The Last Song entered post-production following the end of filming on August 18, 2009.[45] Automated dialogue replacement took place in mid-September; Beals and Chaikin stated they had gone in to record on September 11[46] and September 18[47] respectively. Chaikin said she had worked for five and a half hours.[47] The director's cut was presented to the studio on October 1, 2009.[48] The Motion Picture Association of America reviewed the film and issued it a PG rating for "thematic material, some violence, sensuality and mild language" three weeks later.[49]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Move to Georgia[edit]

text:
Nobody knows what's going to happen [...] Georgia wants them badly, and we want them badly, and by Monday, there'll be four or five other states that want them badly.

 —Bev Perdue, Governor of North Carolina[50]

tag: div

text: The Last Song had originally been set in Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington in North Carolina. Though they wished to shoot on location, filmmakers also examined three other states and identified Georgia as the next best filming site.[29] Georgia’s housing prices were higher, but the state’s filming incentive package refunded 30% of production costs such as gasoline, pencils, and salaries. North Carolina’s package refunded 15% and excluded salaries of over $1 million.[51] Still, Disney remained interested in North Carolina and offered to film there if the state would reduce the amount the company would save in Georgia, approximately $1 million, in half. North Carolina officials searched for ways to accomplish this, including applying unsuccessfully for state and Golden LEAF Foundation grants.[52] They also introduced legislation to improve the state’s refund to 25%,[51] which eventually passed on August 27, 2009.[53] Disney decided to work within existing incentive laws and agreed to film in North Carolina as long as the film rights they had bought from Sparks counted as a production cost, thereby saving the company an additional $125,000 to $225,000. Then-North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue set up a press conference on April 1, 2009 to announce N.C.’s victory. North Carolina tax collectors refused to consider the film rights, forcing Perdue to cancel the conference at the last second.[52] "I was hopeful to say that it was coming and now I don't know that I'll get to say that," Perdue said. "Nobody knows what's going to happen [...] I don't know what figures they got from Georgia, but Georgia wants them badly, and we want them badly, and by Monday [April 6, 2009], there'll be four or five other states that want them badly."[50] Johnny Griffin, director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, explains: "Disney makes feature films. They also make television series; they make individual movies for the Disney Channel. By losing this one project, in essence, we've lost all of those opportunities.”[52] He also notes the loss of jobs and tourism filming would have created.[52]

text: On April 9, 2009, after three months of deliberation, the decision to relocate to Georgia was made final.[52] To determine the specific town, location scouts scoured the state for an aged, isolated, oceanfront property to use as the Miller family’s home in the film. After another three months and the discovery of the "Adams Cottage" on the southern tip of Tybee Island, Tybee and neighboring locations became the sites of filming in late March,[54] with the intention of masquerading the area as Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.,[55] The locale proved too unique to disguise. “We had a hard time trying to hide the fact that this was Tybee and Savannah was Savannah," said Bass Hampton, the film's location director.[55] Filmmakers convinced the screenwriters to change the setting of the film and to Tybee Island, thus allowing them to incorporate landmarks such as the Tybee Island Light Station and the Savannah Historic District.[55][56] The setting of Sparks' novel remained in North Carolina.[5] Though other movies have been filmed in Tybee Island, The Last Song is the first to be both filmed and set in Tybee Island.[54] With the city’s name plastered on everything from police cars to businesses, Georgia officials predict a lasting effect on the economy.[55] In addition, The Last Song is estimated to have brought up to 500 summer jobs[52] to Georgia, $8 million to local businesses,[57] and $17.5 million to state businesses.[52]

text: Sets[edit]

text: Nelson Coates is the production designer for The Last Song, responsible for all visual aspects of the movie. Coates, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the Stephen King television miniseries The Stand, arrived 11 weeks prior to the start of filming to do prep work.[58] While most of the filming took place on the natural Tybee Island beach or on pre-constructed private property,[59] Coates oversaw the re-painting of the pier and the construction of the carnival and church.[58]

text: Location scouts had searched the entirety of Georgia for an aged, isolated oceanfront property to use as a home for the Millers for nearly three months before scout Andy Young came across the "Adams Cottage" on the southern end of Tybee Island. "It was getting down to zero hour," said Young. "Often, it's about the house. It can be a character itself in the movie."[54] The house's owner, Sam Adams, welcomed filming as "an opportunity to sort of immortalize the house," in case it is destroyed by storms.[60] The two-story, six bedroom house was built by Adams' great-grandfather in 1918 and was made entirely out of hard pine wood with very few painted surfaces.[54][60] According to Savannah Morning News reporter Lesley Conn, it "was built in classic rambling beach style [... designed] to allow ocean breezes to sweep through wide, wraparound porches into cool, heart-pine rooms."[54]

text: The church set was built over a six-week period in a vacant lot on the corner of 13th Street and Sixth Avenue,[61] near residential homes.[54] The one-room, 2,000-square-foot (190 m2) building seats approximately 80 people and is estimated to be worth $250,000 to $350,000.[61] Special-effects coordinator Will Purcell subdued concerns about the church burning scene by stating that the building would not actually be set on fire. The intended menacing effect is "all camera angles. It is a safe environment for actors to do their work." Several techniques were used to simulate the fire, including the use of propane pipes to shoot flames through the church windows.[62] At the end of filming, Cyrus hoped to fly the church set back to her family's estate in Tennessee. Disney agreed to donate the building to the island after Tybee officials lobbied to keep it, with the condition that its connection to The Last Song not be advertised.[61] The set will be moved to a new location and brought up to code for use as a non-denominational chapel for island weddings; renovations are expected to cost approximately $600,000.[63]

text: Shooting schedule[edit]

text: Cyrus' busy schedule necessitated that filming take place over the summer. Sparks noted, "She’s got a fall music tour and then she’s back filming Hannah Montana in the spring again. So the only time she had free in her schedule was over the summer."[32] Principal photography began on June 15, 2009 and finished on August 18, 2009.[45] Filming did not take place during weekends.[59]

text: On the first day of production, Cyrus and Hemsworth filmed a kiss in the ocean.[64] Other scenes which took place in June included the carnival and volleyball tournament, both of which were filmed on the beach near the Tybee Island pier.[65] Filming at the pier wrapped up on June 23, 2009 after shooting the scene in which Kim drops off Ronnie and Jonah to live with Steve.[66] Scenes of the church fire were shot on July 10, 2009.[62][67] Filming at the Georgia Tech Savannah campus began on July 16.[68] Kinnear finished taping on July 17, 2009.[69] Wedding scenes and a key driving scene were filmed at the Wormsloe Historic Site between July 20[70] and July 23[71] for twelve hours each day.[70] Driving scenes in Isle of Hope, Georgia continued to the 28.[72] By July 30, the movie had returned to Tybee Island for more beach scenes.[73] Chaikin's character framed Cyrus' for stealing a watch on August 6.[11] On August 10, Hemsworth performed an oil change and Cyrus browsed an upscale boutique in downtown Savannah for the movie.[74][75] The funeral was filmed from August 11, 2009 to August 13, 2009 at the church set in Tybee Island.[75][76] On August 15, further church burning scenes took place.[76] The wrap party was held on the 16,[77] and the cast and crew arrived in Atlanta, Georgia the following day to spend the last days of filming at the Georgia Aquarium.[76][78] After analyzing the area on the 17th, the movie began shooting in public areas at dawn on the 18th to avoid crowds. Once the aquarium opened to the public at 10:00, filming shifted to behind-the-scenes areas.[78]

text: Loggerhead sea turtles[edit]

text: Due to the conflicting personalities of his protagonist couple, Sparks faced difficulty in finding a vehicle that would draw Will and Ronnie to spend time together. “It had to be during the summer, she [Ronnie] had to be new in town, and whatever happened had to start in June and end in August. Because you always want a conclusion,” said Sparks of his requirements.[5] He mentioned summer camp or a summer job as typical vehicles used in books, but dismissed them as unoriginal and boring. “So it’s got to be original, it’s got to be interesting, and at the same time it’s got to be universal, that you feel like it could happen to anybody.”[5] Sparks eventually chose to have Will and Ronnie bond over a loggerhead sea turtle nest, knowing that Loggerhead eggs often hatch in August.[5] The scene of the hatching nest took place during the first week of August and involved 26 live loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings. Sea turtle hatchlings have an innate sense to head toward the ocean water as soon as they are born, so scenes of the nest hatching had to be taken swiftly.[5] Said Mike Dodd of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the biologist who supervised the scene, the hatchlings "did all they know how to do: They crawled down to the water and swam off."[79] Sparks told an interviewer he suspected filmmakers would digitally add more turtles to the scene.[5] At the time of filming, the loggerhead sea turtle was listed as a threatened species.[80] The environmentally friendly theme was an added bonus to Tybee Island, which was then promoting ecotourism.[54]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
The Last Song: Original Soundtrack

Soundtrack album by Various Artists

Released
March 23, 2010

Recorded
2009

Genre
Pop

Length
59:25

Label
Hollywood Records

Producer
Various Artists

Singles from The Last Song: Original Soundtrack

"When I Look at You"
Released: March 26, 2010
"I Hope You Find It"
Released: March 23, 2010

text: "When I Look at You", song by Miley Cyrus, was originally from her EP The Time of Our Lives released August 31, 2009, but was included on the soundtrack because it fit the movie well. The song is used in the background of the film's trailer.

text: At the launch of his album Cradlesong on June 30, 2009, Rob Thomas told the New York Daily News, "My buddy Adam Shankman, who just directed Miley's movie, called me on the phone the other day and was like, 'You have to write a song for this movie.'... I would definitely write a song for her [Cyrus]."[81] In the end, however, Thomas was unable to contribute music to The Last Song, citing "scheduling problems" as the reason.[82]

text: The soundtrack features a track by Casey McPherson, frontman of the band Alpha Rev which signed with Disney's Hollywood Records in August 2008. Variety magazine's Anthony D'Alessandro notes that the use of soundtracks as "launch pads" for new Disney artists is a common practice. "A Different Side of Me" by Allstar Weekend was also included on the soundtrack. They are a group newly signed to Hollywood Records after winning the N.B.T. Competition through the Disney Channel. The soundtrack was released in the U.S. on March 23, 2010.[83][84] Though not featured on soundtrack, Snow Patrol's 2006 single "Shut Your Eyes" and Feist's "I Feel It All" also appear in the film . The soundtrack had a major increase in sales in the week of the DVD release. The soundtrack peaked at #104 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

text: Track listing[edit]

text:
Standard Edition[84]

No.
Title
Writer(s)
Recording Artist(s)
Length

1.
"Tyrant"
Andrew Brown, Zachary Filkins, Ryan Tedder
OneRepublic
5:04

2.
"Bring on the Comets"
Mark Guidry, Mark Palgy, Craig Pfunder
VHS Or Beta
4:02

3.
"Setting Sun"
Finlay Beaton, Stuart Macleod, Joel Quartermain
Eskimo Joe
3:49

4.
"When I Look at You"
John Shanks, Hillary Lindsey
Miley Cyrus
4:09

5.
"Brooklyn Blurs"
Alex Wong, Devon Copley
The Paper Raincoat
4:15

6.
"Can You Tell"
Milo Bonacci, Alexandra Lawn, Wesley Miles, John Pike, Mathieu Santos, Rebecca Zeller
Ra Ra Riot
2:41

7.
"Down the Line"
José González
José González
3:10

8.
"Each Coming Night"
Sam Beam
Iron & Wine
3:25

9.
"I Hope You Find It"
Jeffrey Steele, Steven Robson
Miley Cyrus
3:55

10.
"She Will Be Loved"
Adam Levine, James Valentine
Maroon 5
4:16

11.
"New Morning"
Casey McPherson
Alpha Rev
3:44

12.
"Broke Down Hearted Wonderland"
Edwin McCain, Maia Sharp, Pete Riley, Kevin Kinney
Edwin McCain
3:02

13.
"A Different Side of Me"
Nathan Darmody, Zachary Porter, Thomas Norris
Allstar Weekend
3:08

14.
"No Matter What"
Sydnee Duran, Dave Bassett
Valora
3:22

15.
"Heart of Stone"
Sune Rose Wagner
The Raveonettes
3:55

16.
"Steve's Theme"
Aaron Zigman
Aaron Zigman
3:18

17.
"I Feel it All"
Feist
Feist
3:42

Total length:
59:25

text: Charts[edit]

text:
Charts (2010)
Peak
position

Billboard 200[85]
80

text: Singles[edit]

text:
"When I Look at You" was released as a single on February 16, 2010. It has peaked at #16 on the US Hot 100 and #24 on the Canadian Hot 100.[86]
"I Hope You Find It" is a track from the album. It received a large amount of digital downloads after the album was made available for online purchase. It debuted at #8 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart in the week ending April 10, 2010 and peaked at #5 a week later before it dropped out in the week ending April 24, 2010. In September 2013, the song received media attention for being covered by Cher for her 26th studio album Closer to the Truth.

text: Release[edit]

text: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures originally scheduled The Last Song for wide release on January 8, 2010, but was delayed from January 8, 2010 to March 31, 2010.[87]

text: Marketing[edit]

text: Upon the release of the novel on September 8, Sparks began a book tour reaching around 13 cities and gave several interviews. During these events, he discussed writing both the novel and the screenplay.[32] Cyrus and Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook discussed the film on September 11, 2009 at the first D23 Expo.[88] The first clips from the film appeared online on September 11, 2009, interspersed within one version of the "When I Look at You" music video. The film's first trailer was integrated into Cyrus' Wonder World Tour and premiered during the tour's opening night on September 14, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. Midway through each concert, the trailer was shown on large video screens surrounding the stage.[34][89] After it finished, Cyrus played a white piano and sang "When I Look at You" while film clips continued to play on the screens behind her.[34][40] On November 16, 2009, the first three film stills were released via the film's Facebook page.[90] The following day, the film's trailer premiered online.[18] The film's premiere was held in Los Angeles on March 25, 2010.[91] Cyrus was originally planned to go to the UK premiere of the film, but due to the April 14, 2010 eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull that blanketed Europe in volcanic ash and grounded all flights to and from the continent, she was unable to attend.

text: Home media[edit]

text: The Last Song was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 17, 2010.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: The Last Song performed well for when it was released for the first time, garnering $5,125,103 on approximately 3,300 screens at 2,673 theaters for an average of $1,917 per theater.[92][93][94]

text: It has grossed $62,950,384 in North America and $26,091,272 in other territories for a worldwide total of $89,041,656.[1]

text: In its opening weekend, the film grossed $16,007,426, finishing fourth at the box office behind Clash of the Titans ($61,235,105), Why Did I Get Married Too? ($29,289,537) and How to Train Your Dragon ($29,010,044).[1]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: The Last Song was panned by critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, gives the film an average of 4/10 and a rating of 20% based on 116 reviews.[95] The critical consensus is summarized: "As shamelessly manipulative as any Nicholas Sparks production, The Last Song is done no favors by its miscast and over matched star, Miley Cyrus."[95] Metacritic, which assigns normalized ratings to films, The Last Song holds a "generally unfavorable" score of 33% based on 27 reviews.[96]

text: Reviewers were critical of Sparks' and Van Wie's screenplay and formulaic storyline. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle says the screenplay's faults include several "scenes that make no emotional sense" and claims, "The plot construction is weak. Incidents don't flow one into the next."[97] When reviewing Cyrus's performance, critics acknowledged her stage presence, but were frequently critical of her acting abilities. Jay Stone of The Ottawa Citizen says Cyrus's portrayal of angry Ronnie "consist[s] of pouting and sneering [...] Cyrus doesn't have a lot of range, but she does have presence."[98] Rob Nelson of Variety writes, "Cyrus, alas, hasn't yet learned not to act [...] But she does show off her considerable chops as a pianist and remains reasonably likable throughout."[99] A. O. Scott of The New York Times believes that although "her Hannah Montana persona has a certain aggressive charm", in The Last Song she "play-act[s] rather than exploring the motives and feelings of her character."[100] Roger Ebert gave the film a mixed 2.5/4. He praised the acting and directing, but derided the plot and Sparks's writing.[101]

text: Kinnear's performance has been widely praised. A. O. Scott writes, "it’s nice to see Mr. Kinnear play an entirely sympathetic character for a change [but] his slyness and subtlety seem wasted in a project that has no interest in either."[100] Michael Phillips of The Chicago Tribune writes, "Reliably honest and affecting, [Kinnear] fights off the waves of corn in much the same way that Tibetan monk defied the tsunami in 2012."[102] Glen Whipp of the Associated Press writes, "Kinnear lends the movie a dignity it doesn't deserve".[103] Stone advises, "I'd watch out for Liam Hemsworth".[98] Stephen Witty of The Star-Ledger commends "newcomer Carly Chaikin [who] plays the "bad girl" [...] with an exciting mixture of wildness and vulnerability. Halfway in, I began wishing desperately that Chaikin was playing the lead."[104] Reception for Coleman was mixed; Jeff Vice of "Deseret News" calls him a "hammy irritant"[105] while Jon Bream of the Star Tribune writes, "The most memorable acting is by Coleman, 12 [... who] gets a lot of great lines and delivers them with aplomb".[106] Despite the negative reviews from critics, the movie was well received from fans and audiences with a 66% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and with an average of a 7/10.

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Teen Choice Awards[107]

2010
Choice Movie: Drama
The Last Song cast and crew
Nominated

Choice Movie Actress: Drama
Miley Cyrus
Nominated

Choice Movie Breakout Star: Male
Liam Hemsworth
Won

Choice Movie: Liplock
Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth
Nominated

Choice Movie: Chemistry
Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth
Nominated

Choice Movie: Dance Scene
Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth
Nominated

Choice Movie: Hissy Fit
Miley Cyrus
Won

Choice Music: Love Song
When I Look At You
Won

Kids' Choice Awards[107]

2011
Favorite Movie Actress
Miley Cyrus
Won

Golden Raspberry Award[107]

2010
Worst Actress
Miley Cyrus
Nominated

Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards 2010[107]

2010
Favorite Movie Actress
Miley Cyrus
Won

Cutest Couple
Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth
Nominated

Favorite Kiss
Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth
Won